numbering

Discussion in 'AutoCAD' started by Mart, Oct 15, 2003.

  1. Mart

    Mart Guest

    hi
    i work for company making wooden display tables.
    mostly special designs for each customer.
    i file my drawings in folders named after each customer.
    then each drawing is given a descriptive file name.
    with over 100 customer folders its now getting a bit (!!) difficult to find
    things unless you remember the customer who had what your looking for.
    i need help planning part number/drawing number system
    i know how important it is to start right.
    any suggestions very gratefully received
     
    Mart, Oct 15, 2003
    #1
  2. Mart

    Longshot Guest

    you need to keep a log. I use excel ( & started it in 1998 ) & how you
    number the drawings really doesn't matter , since you will have all your
    info in the log. the more information the better, sometimes years later I
    have to find an old file & the only thing I know is what kind of mat'l it
    was , or the month we did the work.. i can sort my spread sheet by any
    column.

    each draftsman uses a separate log & mine all start with an "R" (for Rob)
    I am up to drawing number R2186 & can find records of everything I have
    drawn.. sometimes I make a new print of an old drawing & will add an
    extension like R2186-B



    good luck
    Rob
     
    Longshot, Oct 15, 2003
    #2
  3. Mart

    designer Guest

    So each table is different is it?
    Are you sure?
    Don't you ever recycle assemblies or just components between different
    designs?

    If you do then you should consider an assembly/component based numbering
    system.

    Start with a number for each contract and use that for your overall
    assembly.
    Maybe then have numbers to identify assemblies.
    Then have numbers to identify components.

    In this way you can recycle components or even assemblies into new contracts
    without redrawing the same thing 'cos you forgot you drew it once before.
    Saves time and money.

    I once started drawing numbers based on individual machine contracts. After
    a few years in one case we found we had six drawings of basically the same
    component!! Three were identical, the other three just had different bores
    (3", 75mm & 60mm). Now we just have one drawing the bore being defined by a
    suffix. Should we need a different bore its just another suffix.

    Peter
     
    designer, Oct 15, 2003
    #3
  4. Mart

    mart Guest

    Thank you all very much for your ideas
    just what I was after
    I was trying to avoid using the first letters of the customer in the file
    number cos I could see problems, so numbers is much better, and a year
    marker is nice. I can search in acad and mostly find things but the problem
    is when others want something. so a log like robs with good descriptions
    would be good.
    so how about
    numbers for customers
    year marker
    drawing sheet number
    revision letter.
    plus short description in access file for others to search
    with hyphens between.
    trouble is the rest of factory still thinks in terms of Woolworth
    table....wyevale tree stand...etc.
    its the searching part that's the real problem. so the drawing number could
    be anything as long as not duplicated so robs log is the one.
    so starting Monday
    M54321.001A
    will be the drawing number for the new metal foot
    thanks again
    mart
     
    mart, Oct 17, 2003
    #4
  5. Mart

    Longshot Guest

    the type of log completely depends on the type of work you do. I am in
    sheetmetal & most of my jobs are one of a kinds also. so my log works fine
    for me. I work with guys at different plants & some have codes like plant
    number , customer code, building number, date build, type of drawing (civil,
    structural, mechanical.. ect) engineer's ininials or number... & then the
    sequential numbers.

    so a typical drawing would look like this :

    #121564564-6351854-21648-113-15648-41548948461-45487135-00001 rev a
     
    Longshot, Oct 17, 2003
    #5
  6. Mart

    me63401 Guest

    the type of log completely depends on the type of work you do. I am in
    I do machine design.... in house only.

    Im the only one doing it... use Mech Desktop

    I just the date the drawing was started and a
    sequential number.

    Example .... if I start a drawing today.... its number
    would be

    2003102001.dwg

    which is the year.... month.... day... and sequential
    number 1 for first drawing of the day.

    If I did another drawing today it would be

    2003102002.dwg

    I don't know if this is a god idea or not.... but
    that's what Im using.

    Ive done some study on this..... and have read that the
    best numbering system is a totally "dumb" system where
    the characters have no meaning at all.... and are
    sequential in nature. Like this

    0001.dwg

    0002.dwg

    0003.dwg

    John
     
    me63401, Oct 20, 2003
    #6
  7. Mart

    Longshot Guest

    how do you find a drawing you made a few years back of a brake press die for
    a CNC12 ton press for customer xx when they call & want another one just
    like the one you made before.? you tell them " if they don't know what day
    they ordered it , then you cant help them? "
     
    Longshot, Oct 20, 2003
    #7
  8. Mart

    me63401 Guest

    how do you find a drawing you made a few years back of a brake press die for
    Well..... Ive been using the drawing properties command
    to embed all that info *IN* the drawing itself

    And then I use Terry Dotson's 'Drawing Browser" to
    search the drawings for any keyword I chose.

    see link

    http://www.dotsoft.com/dwgbrowser.htm

    Again..... I was told several times that a numbering
    system that is "dumb" is actually best

    However..... Im still unsettled in my own mind abt
    that.

    I can "see" some benefit of having a numbering system
    that has some "intelligence" in it.

    But the reasoning AGAINST an intelligent numbering
    system was that inevitably it will fail at some point.

    Anyway...... Im just using the date and sequential
    number so far. I chose that over just using pure
    sequential numbers cause this way I wouldn't have to
    "remember" the last sequential number used....and take
    a chance I created another drawing using the same
    number. By using the date....I was fairly assured that
    I wouldn't have two drawings with exact same number.

    Again.... Im open to other suggestions cause its
    something Ive struggled with a LOT! But I had to
    settle on something and this is what I did.

    John
     
    me63401, Oct 20, 2003
    #8
  9. Mart

    Longshot Guest

    --
    interesting.. never heard of it
     
    Longshot, Oct 20, 2003
    #9
  10. Mart

    me63401 Guest

    And then I use Terry Dotson's 'Drawing Browser" to
    Well another way to "find" drawings would be to get a
    document management system. But they are often
    expensive and complicated. Also I think future version
    of the Widows operating systems will have document
    management systems built in. Someone correct me if Im
    wrong on this

    Drawing Browser is cheap and does the job well....at
    least for me at this point.

    Believe me.... I STRUGGLED with how to number my
    drawings.... and STILL struggle..... but this is what
    Im doing now.

    I guess another way to "find" a drawing is to keep an
    Access database with info of drawing number and all its
    "specs" such as customer..... machine.... material..
    etc. BUT.... then you MUST make sure to manually keep
    this thing up to date or it becomes useless.

    I like the idea of embedding all that info IN the
    drawing. And actually that is where the info is at
    anyway. And then use some kind of "tool" to "mine"
    that info as needed and pull up the drawings in
    question.

    If anyone else have advice.... or critique of what Im
    doing.... PLEASE feel free to jump in. Im still open
    to better methods of drawing number management!!

    John
     
    me63401, Oct 20, 2003
    #10
  11. Mart

    me63401 Guest

    me63401, Oct 20, 2003
    #11
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